Radio tuning indicator



'June'28, I938 J. SCHNELL 2,122,329

RADIO TUNING INDICATOR Filed May 15, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet .l

June 28, 1938. w. J; SCHNELL v RADIO TUNING INDICATOR Filed May 15, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 28, 1938 PATENT "ore-res RADIO TUNING. INDICATOR 1 William J. Schnell, Berwyn; Ill., assignor to Electrical Research Laboratories Inc., Chicago,

111., a corporation of'lllinois Application May 15, 1937-, Serial No. 142,865

. 4 Claims. (Cl. 116124.1)' I Thisapplication relates to a tuning indicator for radio receivers and the like. I I i y In present day receivers of the most expen- -sive type, so-called automatic tuning aids operable by various devices, such as telephone dials, push buttons and the like have been provided for the purpose of facilitating tuning of :the receiver in accordance with the call letters ofa number of the most usually selected broadcasting stations.

It is an object of applicants invention to provide. a-tuning indicator for the small and inexpene, sive .class of radio receivers, which tuning indicators shall be simple in construction, inexpene sive in cost, and efiicient in operation.

A further object of applicants invention is to provide an inexpensive and efficient marking de-. vice indicating the position to which the tuning element of the receiver should be moved to tune the receiver to the station represented by call letters inscribed on the marking device.

It is-another object of. applicantsinvention to provide a plurality of tabs adapted to be inscribed with the call letters of any selected combination of broadcasting stations and inexpensive but efficient means to detachably mount said tabs upon the dial of a radio receiver.

A further object of the invention is to provide simplified inexpensive means operable in synchronism with the tuning element of the receiver to give a selective indication of the station to which the receiver is tuned.

Another object of the invention is to provide,

in a radio receiver, a plurality of marking devices and means selectively illuminating the marking device representing the station to which the receiver is tuned at any instant.

Numerous other objects and advantages will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification and drawings which disclose a few devices constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and in which Fig. 1 is a View in perspective of a radio receiver embodying applicants invention;

Fig. 2 is an exploded view in perspective of certain parts of applicants dial;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a marking device according to applicants invention;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the device;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section and elevation taken on the line G6 of Fig. 5.

As shown in Fig. 1, the cabinet I of a radio receiver is provided with a dial assembly 2 visible through an opening bounded byan escutcheon 3. The dial assembly Zoomprisesa bracket 4 mounted by an auxiliary bracket 5 on the receiver chassis 6... The bracket 4 is provided with forwardly and inwardly bent end portions 1 and 8 -to which is-secured a metal ring or gasketQ. and to the ring 9 is secured a dial plate [0.

The .dial plate Ill carries a plurality ofsemicircular scales ll each representing a broadcasting bandand comprising indicia representative of the various wavelengths and frequencies within the band. annular opening. or transparent section I 2 is provided in the upper portion of the dial plate concentric to. the scales H. An annula-r copper strip.l3. is secured to the dial plate It) andthe metal. ring 9 about. the opening. or transparent section i2. The copper strip [3 is radially. slit at spaced points to provide a plurality of. resilient sections M. The inner edge of eachrof these sections I4 is inclinedoutwardly to facilitate the insertion of marking tabs I5 be-. tween the strip and the dial plate. 12. The tabs l5 are adapted to carry indicia representative. of the call. letters and/or Wavelength or frequency 25 of a particular broadcasting station and when inserted between the strip l3 and the dial plate l2 extend radially across the annular opening or transparent section 12.

The usual tuning condenser l6 mounted on the chassis 6 in the conventional manner is provided with a tuning shaft l'l journalled in the bracket 4 and in a bracket l8 secured to the bracket 4. The shaft I1 extends through the dial plate Ill and carries on its outer end a con- 35 ventional double ended pointer I9 adapt-ed to cooperate with the semi-circular scales H and the marking tabs l5". On the shaft [1 between the dial plate It and the bracket 4, there is mounted an opaque disc or shutter 20 having an aperture 2| aligned with the annular opening l2 in the dial plate Ill. The disc 20 is secured to the shaft IT by a collar 22 and a nut 23 and on the collar 22 there is mounted a bracket 24 on which is carried a lamp socket 25 and a lamp 26. Additional lamps 21 and 28 are secured to opposite ends of the fixed bracket l8 and provide a fixed illumination for the dial assembly.

The tuning shaft 11 is operated through the disc 20 by means of a pair of fiber washers or discs 29 rotated by a knob 30 secured to the shaft 3| on which the fiber discs 29 are mounted. The shaft 3] is journaled in the end portion 8 of the bracket 4 and is secured thereto against longitudinal movement by nuts 32 and bushing 33.

V the receiver may then be tuned by operation of In use, the tabs I5 are marked with the call letters of the most frequently selected broadcasting stations; the receiver is tuned to one of these selected stations and the corresponding tab inserted between the annular strip 13 and the dial plate in alignment with the pointer IS, The tab I5 is frictionally retained in place by the clamping force of the resilient sections M of the annular strip l3.

After the tabs !5 have been properly inserted,

the knob 30 until the lamp 2B, which is in line with the opening 25 in the rotatable disc 20 illuminates the tab 15 carrying the call letters of the desired station. I

It will be seen that applicant has provided a radio receiver having a plurality of marking devices, and has provided means for selectively illuminating the marking device representing the station .to which at any instant the receiver is tuned.

' Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts Without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fairly fall Within the scope of the follovwng claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. In tuning indicating apparatus for a radio receiver and the like; the combination of a dial plate having an arcuate scale and an opening concentric to said scale, an annular strip surrounding said opening and in clamping engagement with said plate, a plurality of marking tabs adapted to be frictionally clamped between said strip and plate and overlie said opening, each of said tabs being adapted to be inscribed with indicia representative of a selected broadcasting station, and means for directing rays of light through said opening selectively to illuminate the marking tab representing a station to which the receiver is tuned.

2. In tuning indicating apparatus for a radio receiver and the like, the combination of a dial plate having an arcuate scale and an opening concentric to said scale, an annular strip surrounding said opening and in clamping engagement with said plate, said strip being slit radially at equal spaced points to provide a plurality of resilient sections, a plurality of marking tabs adapted to be frictionally clamped between said "resilient sections and said plate and overlie said opening, each ofsaid tabs being adapted to be inscribed with indicia representative of a selected broadcasting station, and means for directing rays of light through said opening selectively to illuminate the marking tab representing the station to which the receiver is tuned.

3.. In a tuning indicating apparatus for radio receivers and the like, the combination of a dial a tuning element, means for adjusting said tuning" element, and means operable in synchronism with said adjusting means selectively to illuminate through said opening the marking tab representing the station to which the receiver is tuned.

'4. In a tuning indicating apparatus for radio receivers and the like, the combination of a dial plate having an arcuate scale and an opening.

concentric to said scale, an annular strip surrounding saidopening and in clamping engagement with said plate, a plurality of marking tabs adapted to be frictionally clamped between said strip and plate and overlie said opening, each of said tabs being adapted to be inscribed with indicia representative of a selected broadcasting station, a tuning element, and means for operating said tuning element, said means comprising means. for directing a concentrated beam of light upon said plate selectively to illuminate various ones of said tabs in accordance with the position of said tuning element.

WILLIAM J. SCHNELL. 

